The answer to this question largely depends on you and your interests. Some of our students learn Chinese because of the opportunity it affords in business. Other students want to learn to speak a common language with the almost 1 billion Mandarin Chinese speakers alive today. Chinese language also offers a deeper insight and connection to one of the oldest and most unique cultures in the world. We can, however, give an overview of a few of the top reasons many people decide to learn Chinese, and perhaps why you might be interested as well.

1. New Job and Business Opportunities

China’s economy has been steadily growing since the late 1970s. The current GDP of China is reportedly 9.24 trillion U.S. dollars. This is up from about four billion in 1990. Over 20% of global manufacturing takes place in China, though this sector is being replaced by the service industry as the new center of growth in the Chinese job market alongside the swift growth of China’s consumer economy.

It is fairly common knowledge that China’s workforce, unprotected by U.S. labor rights, manufactured many American-sold goods at a low cost. However, as the wages of workers in China rise, the next generation of Americans will be interacting with a new rising class of specialized workers in service and other professional jobs.

However, less than 1% of Chinese people speak English fluently. College students that are not English majors often have only a very rudimentary understanding of English. Therefore, for people in international business, learning basic Chinese can open up a world of opportunities. Additionally, for people thinking about teaching in China, a working knowledge of Chinese is naturally essential for navigating one’s community and daily life there.

2. Personal and Cultural Connections

For those with Chinese ancestry, learning Putonghua (Mandarin) can be a way of getting in touch with the culture of their family. Other people may be moved to learn Chinese because of their Buddhist or Taoist faith, and a desire to study their religion with greater depth. The original texts of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, for example, are all in Chinese. With a history of over 8,000 years and over 55 distinct ethnic groups, China holds people’s fascination as one of the major world civilizations. Knowing a foreign language will allow you to bond with people from places far away and speak with people you never thought you would be able to speak with.

3. Traveling

Some websites claim that learning Chinese allows one greater opportunities for travel in other East Asian countries. This is not always true, even in popular tourist destinations like Thailand. Nevertheless, China is a massive territory that now includes Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet. You will find a large percentage of Mandarin speakers in all of these areas. Countries such as Singapore and Bali, while remaining independent, still have sizable populations of Chinese speakers. China itself is a massive country with ancient Silk Road deserts, lush forests, icy mountains, unique wildlife, sprawling modern cities, and ancient architecture. It is an almost inexhaustible resource for travel.

4. It’s an adventure that will enrich your life, and it’s not as hard as you think.

Chinese isn’t as hard a language to learn as people often suppose. People often worry, for example, about the differences tone makes in pronouncing otherwise homophonic words. However, there are only four basic tones in Mandarin: up, down, bending, and high. These tones can be thought of as a simple second alphabet with only four characters. Moreover, Chinese language has no tense, gender, or honorific articles.

Anyone can learn Chinese if they have sufficient motivation, and everyone can put it to a unique use.